The Fire
by kamster4000
Summary: When Gale and Madge get reaped for the 74th Hunger Games, they never imagined that they would form a friendship, let alone a romance, in the arena. But, only one can win. How will they survive? Mild Gadge!


**A/N: Tell me if you guys want me to continue this! Tell you what... 5 reviews and/or follows by next Tuesday and I'll continue this story and keep posting! Happy reading! Check out my other stories, too!**

"Pretty dress." Those were the first words that Gale Hawthorne said to Madge Undersee that day. That week, even. And they were sarcastic and rude. The blonde girl resisted the urge to adjust the pink ribbon holding her hair up.

"Well, if I end up going to the Capitol, I want to look nice, don't I?" _Was she messing with him_, Gale thought, _or was it actually genuine._ Throwing her a scowl, the boy replied snarkily. "You won't be going to the Capitol."

His eyes wandered down to the gold pin attached to the bright white, expensive dress. It was real gold. It just made him even madder than he was. "What can you have? Five entries? I had six just when I was eleven." Gale kept the scowl on his face. Madge's hands went to straighten out the imaginary wrinkles in her dress.

"That's not her fault," Katniss mumbled next to Gale. Madge shot her a grateful look. "It's not anyone's fault. That's just the way it is," Gale continued. The two traded quickly with Madge. Berries for the money. Madge very carefully slipped in an extra quarter. She didn't need it; she never needed as much money as she had. "Good luck, Katniss." Madge wished her.

The duo turned to leave, but Madge worked up enough courage to call back the boy. "Gale!" He turned back to face the fumbling girl. "You, too. Good luck. I wish your family the best." Gale, stunned into silence, gave her a small nod of acknowledgement before turning back to Katniss.

After the two had left, Madge gently closed the door, let a deep breath leave her, and sank against the door in relief. "Maysilee!" shouted her mother from upstairs. Madge's head snapped up before she raced upstairs to her mother's bedroom. When she reached her room, the older woman was already thrashing around with tears in her eyes.

Madge grabbed her mom's shoulders. "Mom!" she yelled. The woman woke with a start, almost slamming her forehead into Madge's. When she saw her daughter, eyes wide, she relaxed. "Oh. Sorry, Margaret." Madge pulled out morphine of the drawer beside her mother's bedside table and gently injected it into her mother's arm. The woman looked up at her, grateful. "It hurts," she whispered.

Madge leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Bye," she whispered. Her mother fell into a deep sleep again, the sickness and morphine once again taking over her. Madge moved to go out of the room, but glanced back one more time to look at her sick parent. A single tear fell down her cheek as she closed the door. She angrily wiped it away.

Madge sulked downstairs and thought about what was going to take place in less than an hour. In less than an hour, she could have the exact same fate as her aunt, Maysilee. She'd been in the 50th Hunger Games, which was also the Quarter Quell. She was one of the last ones… but she still didn't make it out.

Everybody says that she looked like her. When she'd seen old pictures of her late aunt, she could clearly see the resemblance. They could've been twins if she wasn't so much older than her.

Madge sighed, walking to the oversized bathroom in the hall downstairs. She took a quick glance at her face in the picture perfect mirror and moved to step away from it before walking right back to it.

She narrowed her eyes at herself as she analyzed herself. She almost broke down in tears at her reflection. She always plastered a fake smile in front of the cameras, her dad, the district… but she was just a sad girl underneath. She knew it, yet no one else did. In that moment, she would've done anything for someone to understand. Just one person. That's all she asks.

~Gale~

Gale Hawthorne kisses his mom quickly on the cheek, then his younger brothers and sister before stepping out of the door on his way to the Reaping. His last one. For a second, he almost feels relief. It's quickly replaced with dread when he remembers that his siblings are definitely still eligible.

It doesn't take long for him to arrive at the Hall of Justice, seeing the big TV screens and the mayor sitting up on the stage already. He moves to stand in line, placing himself in front of a girl with a bright pink ribbon and flowy white dress. Madge.

He was definitely surprised when she had called his name last minute to wish him good luck. Her cheeks had flushed to a red color that just made her look more like a girl from town.

The girl in front of him flinched when they had taken the blood sample from her. She moved on quickly, stepping away from the man at the desk. Gale didn't even blink.

The ceremony started quickly. Gale almost had every word of the video memorized. He scanned the crowd for Katniss, his best friend, but his eyes found Madge Undersee. Her bottom lip was being pulled into her mouth and she was gnawing on it like nobody's business.

Her eyes were glued to the white shoes on her feet, which had gotten dirt on them. She looked almost distressed, though Gale couldn't blame her. He moved his gaze once he realized she was staring and before she could realize it, too.

Gale almost chuckled when he saw Effie Trinket, a crazy Capitol person, hobbling on high heels and her wig almost completely sideways on her head. She stumbled over to the girl's bowl where she reached her hand inside and hastily pulled out a small slip of paper. It was amazing how much of the future rested on the little piece of paper.

The deranged woman opened it and looked at the words on the slip before lowering her hand to the side and speaking the name into the microphone.

"Margaret Undersee."

Gale felt as if he was going to vomit. He turned his attention on the teenager to see her expression completely neutral. He knew she was dying inside, no matter how hard to tried to cover it up.

~Madge~

She practically died inside when her name was spoken. You could almost hear a pin drop all the way to the other side of the fence outside of the district. She blinked back tears as all of the Seam kids sneered at her and scowled.

She put on the straightest face she could manage and stepped around the mass of children. Her shoes clacked against the stairs as the shy 16 year-old stepped next to Effie. She'd caught a glimpse of her father as she stepped on the platform. His face was completely heartbreaking.

Madge's eyes found Katniss' in the crowd. She looked sorrowful and her expression was full of pity. Madge tried to smile gently at her, but it only turned into a grimace.

Effie moved on to the boys' bowl dipping her hand in and snatching a slip of paper. Her opponent in the Games was about to be revealed and she hoped and prayed it wasn't anyone she knew. She wouldn't be able to handle if she had to fight to the death against one of her friends.

"Gale Hawthorne." A light gasp slipped from her mouth and her jaw dropped as she easily found him in the crowd. He clenched his jaw and tightened his fists at his side as he almost stomped up to the stage to stand next to Madge. He turns to face the crowd, but Madge's eyes stayed glued to him.

"Go on, shake hands, you two." Gale sharply turns and holds his hand out to Madge in an effort to shake it. She places her fragile, pale hand into his tan and dirty one and he grips it like it's his life support. He connects his eyes with hers and gives her a curt nod. Madge stands speechless and pulls her hand back, feeling at least one bruise form.

Peacekeepers step forward to usher them away into the Hall of Justice. The last thing that they heard was Effie's shrill voice talking in the microphone. "Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds be ever in your favor." Then the doors slammed behind them.


End file.
